"Some people think they can take advantage" - When Steffi Graf called out media for distracting her with personal gossip before Monica Seles final

Two years after a Steffi Graf fan infamously stabbed Monica Seles, the German star faced her in the 1995 US Open final. The match also came amid intense media scrutiny over Graf’s father and manager, Peter, who had been arrested for tax evasion in Germany.

In 1995, Graf faced immense personal and professional challenges leading up to the US Open final against Monica Seles. Her father and manager, Peter, had been arrested for tax evasion.

This legal turmoil pushed the German into an intense media spotlight, with reporters focusing more on her family's issues than her tennis. Despite the distractions, she remained resolute. She criticized the media's intrusion at the time, stating (via Sports Illustrated):

"Some people now think they can take advantage of the situation and put pressure on you about different things."

Adding to the tension surrounding the encounter, her opponent, Seles was making a return after a traumatic on-court stabbing by a fan obsessed with Graf, in 1993. A teenager at the time of the incident, Seles returned months before turning 21.

Amid personal turmoil and the weight of public scrutiny, Graf secured a hard-fought victory over Seles after completely losing the plot in the second set. To clinch her fourth US Open title, Graf registered a 7-6, 0-6, 6-3, victory over Seles.

Despite her victory, Graf knew the challenges off the court were far from over. She braced herself for what lay ahead, stating:

"I have to think I will be tough enough... I know at some stage I'll be able to deal with everything, to look everyone in the face...and we'll just move on."

---

"I don't think you're ever prepared for those kinds of things" - Steffi Graf on her father's arrest

Steffi Graf at the 1999 French Open - Source: Getty

Peter Graf had mismanaged Steffi Graf's finances and was arrested on the charges of committing tax fraud. He allegedly evaded 12.3 million Deutsche Marks in taxes. In January 1997, he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, though he was released early in April 1998.

In an interview in 2000, Steffi opened up about the moment she found out about her father's arrest.

"I don't think you're ever prepared for those kinds of things. I got the news when I got off a plane from Atlanta, en route to getting some physical therapy for a knee injury. This guy travelling with me said, 'Look, there's your brother Michael.' I had this terrible feeling, because at the time Michael was living in New York, with his pregnant wife, Elaine. My first reaction was that something went wrong with the pregnancy. I went right over to him and he just said. 'Father's in jail. It has something to do with taxes.' So it started all over again," Steffi Graf said.

Even after so many distractions during the peak of her career, Steffi Graf was one of the most decorated women's singles players in the world. She won a total of 22 Grand Slam titles, ranked only behind Serena Williams' 23 in the Open Era.